Travel Health Insurance

What is Travel Health Insurance?

Travel health insurance is a kind of insurance policy that is helpful when a medical emergency can occur at any point of the overseas trip. It is no brainer that the cost of healthcare abroad is way more than that in India. If the insured gets hospitalised abroad for something as common as viral fever, it can cause a big dent in the trip budget.

Travel medical insurance is a variant of a travel insurance policy that covers the insured travellers against any medical contingencies faced during their overseas trip. Medical travel insurance will protect them from any unforeseen medical emergencies, such as hospitalization due to accident or illness, that may create a financial burden. Travel health insurance will also assist them in accessing healthcare services if they get stuck abroad during the trip.

In short, a travel health insurance policy takes care of the insured’s medical expenses, safety and makes sure that he/she travel stress-free. Regardless of the age and whether the insured is travelling for a vacation or business purpose, he/she can buy the best travel medical insurance in India for the trip.

Why Buy a Travel Health Insurance Plan?

Medical emergencies can take place irrespective of a person’s location. In case a person falls sick or gets injured while travelling abroad, he/she may end up incurring major financial losses as healthcare facilities are very expensive abroad. But if the traveller has a travel health insurance policy, it supports him/her financially to pay for unaccounted medical expenses that he/she may incur during the overseas trip.

Although travel insurance is essential for all kinds of travellers, travel health insurance is ideal for people seeking overseas medical coverage only. An overseas traveller should buy a travel health insurance policy only if he/she is not worried about obtaining coverage for travel-related emergencies, such as trip delay, baggage insurance, missed connection flight, etc. In case the traveller is already covered for travel and flight-related adversities, he/she can buy travel health insurance policy for his/her overseas trip.

Key Features of Travel Health Insurance in India

Following are some of the key benefits of buying international health insurance:

• Provides cashless hospitalization facility

• Available for occasional travellers and frequent flyers

• Offers 24x7 medical assistance

• Mostly offers global coverage

• Covers individual as well as families

• No pre-policy medical check-up for up to 70 years as per the plan

Things to Know About Travel Health Insurance

Types of Travel Health Insurance Policy

Broadly, a travel health insurance policy can be divided into two types based on trip frequency:

Single Trip Travel Health Insurance

If a traveller purchases travel medical insurance for a single trip, then it can be referred to as a Single Trip Travel Health Insurance policy. This type of insurance begins with the commencement of the trip and ends as soon as the traveller returns back home.

Multi-Trip Travel Health Insurance

A Multi-trip Travel Health Insurance policy provides coverage to the insured traveller for multiple trips. This type of insurance is usually taken for a policy term of one year. However, the duration of each trip is limited to 30/ 45/ 60 days as per the travel insurance company.

On the basis of the destination country, international health insurance plans can be divided into the following types:

Schengen Travel Health Insurance

Schengen Travel Health Insurance plans provide coverage to travellers who are visiting one or more Schengen countries. The plan is usually available for trips of less than 90 days.

Non-Schengen Travel Health Insurance

Non-Schengen Travel Health Insurance plans are available to travellers who are travelling to a non-Schengen country or any country outside the Schengen region. This policy is available for single trips as well as multi-trips.

Travel Health Insurance Coverage

A travel medical insurance policy or medical travel insurance financially protects overseas travellers against the following adversities:

Medical Illness Treatment

Any emergency medical expenses that the insured traveller may incur on the treatment of a sudden illness during his/her trip will be covered under the travel medical insurance policy. It will include both daycare treatment expenses as well as hospitalization expenses. Some insurers may also cover pre and post hospitalization expenses up to a fixed number of days.

Personal Accident

If the insured meets with an accident during his/her trip, this medical travel insurance policy will bear the treatment expenses. It will also provide compensation in case the insured suffers from any partial or permanent disability due to the accidental injury.

Emergency Medical Evacuation

A travel health insurance policy will come to the rescue of the insured traveller in case he/she needs to be evacuated urgently to a nearby hospital. It will cover the transportation cost involved, i.e. ambulance charges.

Emergency Dental Treatment

If the insured traveller takes any treatment for emergency dental pain relief during his/her trip, then he/she will be covered by the medical travel insurance policy.

Hospital Daily Cash

In case the insured traveller gets hospitalized for more than a certain number of days, he/she will be eligible to receive a daily allowance to cover day-to-day expenses at the hospital.

Delay/ Loss of Check-in Baggage

If the check-in baggage of the insured is delayed or misplaced by the scheduled airline, the insurance provider will reimburse the expenses incurred and provide compensation for the losses incurred.

Additional Coverage of Travel Health Insurance

A handful of insurance companies in India also offer other kinds of coverage under travel medical insurance. While some insurers may offer these covers under basic coverage, other insurance companies may provide these covers on the payment of an additional premium amount. Take a look at some of the additional covers available under an international health insurance policy:

Pre-Existing Diseases Cover

In case the insured traveller takes medical treatment for any pre-existing diseases or medical conditions, the treatment expenses will be covered by the travel insurance provider under this cover.

Flight Delays

If the scheduled flight of the insured traveller gets delayed for more than a specified number of hours, then the insurer will compensate him/her for any losses incurred under the travel health insurance policy.

Personal Liability

In case a legal liability is imposed on the insured traveller during his/her trip for causing injuries or damages to a third party, this cover will enable the insurance company to pay compensation on behalf of the insured.

Travel Health Insurance Companies in India

Various public and private insurance companies are rolling out competitive travel health insurance plans with a range of attractive covers. Take a look at some of the leading insurance companies that offer travel health insurance plans in India:

Exclusions of Travel Health Insurance Policy

Most Travel Medical Insurance policies do not cover the following events or situations:

• Travelling Against Medical Advice - If the insured is travelling against the doctor’s advice, then the travel insurance company will not pay for any medical expenses incurred during the trip.
• Pre-existing Diseases - Most travel insurance companies do not provide coverage for any pre-existing medical condition or illness under travel health insurance plans unless purchased as an add-on cover.
• Consumption of Intoxicants - Any medical expenses incurred on the treatment of an illness or injury arising due to the consumption of intoxicants, such as alcohol and drugs, will not be covered.
• War or Civil Unrest - Any injury or illness of the insured traveller resulting due to events, such as war, an act of war, protest, strike, terrorism, etc., will not be covered under travel medical insurance policy.
• Cosmetic Treatment - No medical expenses incurred on cosmetic treatment and surgery will be covered by the insurance provider.
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV AIDS - - If the insured traveller receives treatment for any sexually transmitted diseases or HIV AIDS while travelling, the expenses incurred will be excluded under this policy.
• Self-inflicted Injury - In case the insured traveller takes medical treatment for any self-inflicted injuries, such as suicide or attempt to suicide, it will not be covered by the travel health insurance policy.
• Alternative Treatment - If the insured traveller receives treatment through Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha and Unani during his/her trip, then the insurance provider will not cover the expenses incurred.
• Adventure Sports - Most insurance companies do not cover any expenses incurred on the treatment of any injury or illness arising due to participation in adventure sports activities, such as rafting and skiing, during the trip.
• Mental Disorders - If the insured travellers take treatment for any medical disorders, such as anxiety, depression, etc., during the trip, then the medical expenses incurred will not be covered under the travel medical insurance policy.

Benefits of Travel Health Insurance Policy

Travelling can be quite uncertain. With the change in climate and exertion involved, the chances of a traveller getting ill increases leaps and bounds. Travel health insurance benefits travellers who unexpectedly fall sick or meet with an accident during their trip. Here are some of the ways through which a travel medical insurance policy can benefit a traveller:

Emergency Medical Expenses

If the insured traveller gets ill or meet with an accident and require hospitalization, his/her travel health insurance policy will cover all the expenses incurred on the treatment. It covers both pre and post hospitalization expenses as well as the cost of transporting the patient to the hospital by reimbursing the ambulance charges. Moreover, travel medical insurance provides compensation if the insured suffers from temporary or permanent disability.

Medical Assistance at Remote Areas

This type of insurance can turn out to be quite useful if the insured is travelling to a remote area with poor healthcare services. The insurance provider will evacuate the traveller to the nearest hospital in case he/she requires emergency medical assistance.

Coverage for Each Traveller

No matter where a traveller is going and for what purpose, a travel health insurance policy will provide coverage to all kinds of travellers. From individuals to families and senior citizens to students, every traveller can opt for protection under this medical travel insurance policy. Even people who travel frequently to different places abroad are protected under this policy.

Travel Stress-Free

A trip can become quite stressful if someone gets ill or injured in an accident. However, people with travel medical insurance can travel without a worry as they are covered for any unforeseen medical emergency under the policy.

How to Buy Travel Health Insurance?

A travel health insurance policy can be purchased both online and offline. People who want to buy travel insurance offline can visit the nearest branch of the insurance company or contact one of its agents. People who want to buy travel health insurance online can follow the steps given below:

• Visit the official website of Policybazaar Insurance Broker Private Limited
• Go to the option of buying travel insurance
• Fill in the online application form with the required details such as travel dates, destination, email id, etc.
• Select the international health insurance plan to buy
• Pay the premium amount online
• The traveller will receive a soft copy of the policy document in the email.

Prospective travellers can also call the toll-free number of com on 1800-208-8787 to buy the policy. In case of any confusion, they can also write to care@policybazaar.com

What is International Travel Medical Insurance?

International travel medical insurance refers to travel health insurance plans that cover international trips. It provides coverage to the insured traveller against medical emergencies faced during the overseas trip. Usually, such plans have a greater emphasis on coverage for medical evacuation. Most insurance companies offer international travel medical insurance plans with worldwide coverage.

Claim Procedure for Travel Health Insurance

The claim procedure under the best travel health insurance policy is similar to that of a regular travel insurance policy. Follow the steps given below to register a claim under a Travel Medical Health insurance policy:

• Inform the insurance company or the third party assistance (TPA) provider about the hospitalization abroad through phone or email
• Arrange documents that need to be submitted in support of the claim, including the claim form
• Submit all the documents to the TPA or the insurance provider via post, email or fax
• The claims team will verify the claim and make the payment

Cashless claims can only be made if the insured gets hospitalized at one of the network hospitals of the insurance company. In case of cashless claims, the insurer will settle the bill directly with the network hospital after the treatment is over.

How to Renew a Travel Health Insurance Policy?

A travel health insurance policy usually comes with the renewability option. In case the insured decides to extend his/her trip and wishes to stay covered against any unforeseen medical expenses, he/she can renew the policy. Just make sure to renew the existing policy before it gets expired.

The insured traveller can renew a travel medical insurance policy both online and offline. Offline policy renewal would need him/her to visit the nearest office of the insurance provider or contact an insurance agent.

People who want to renew their travel health insurance online can follow the steps given below:

• Visit the website from where the policy was purchased
• Log in to the website using the username and password
• Enter the details of the existing policy, such as policy number
• Review the details of the existing policy
• Pay the premium amount
• The renewed policy will be sent to the policyholder.

Compare Best Travel Health Insurance Plans

It can get very difficult for an individual to select the best travel health insurance plan as there are lots of options available in the market. Therefore, the best way to find the most suitable travel medical insurance is by comparing various plans offered by different insurance companies.

This will help the insured to find an ideal plan for his/her trip, which will provide the best coverage at an economical rate. Anyone can compare different travel health insurance policies online at the website of Policybazaar Insurance Broker Private Limited.